


A penny saved is a penny earned

by Redglassesteenagegirl



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alfred Pennyworth is the Best, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Drama, Angst and Humor, BAMF Alfred Pennyworth, Batfamily, Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Damian Wayne Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dramatic Bruce Wayne, Everyone Needs A Hug, Flashbacks, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd-centric, Tim Drake Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26077483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redglassesteenagegirl/pseuds/Redglassesteenagegirl
Summary: Alfred Pennyworth is not just Bruce Wayne's butler he's also the back bone of the bat family, So what would happen if said back bone were to disappear?Who could've taken Alfred was it one of batman many villains or was someone from Alfred's past.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 10





	1. Where the wild robins are

**Author's Note:**

> Hello this my first time writing fanfiction so if you guys see any mistakes in spelling please feel free to tell me so I can improve myself and the story.

A robbery at Gotham City Bank is being stopped by Robin who is without the other half the famous duo. "Hey little birdie does your daddy know that you're out this late." Mocked one thief as he throws a punch. 

Robin dodges the punch and knees the crook in the stomach before the man can catch his breath Robins lends a kick to his face which knocks the man out.   
"I don't need my father to beat a simple nobody like you." He says to the unconscious man.

As Robin gets ready to fight the next thief his earpiece comes on for the first time tonight. "Report back to the cave." Orders Batman whose voice sounded rougher then usual.

"Father I've just started the night why the hell should I come back now?" He asked.

'Watch your tone when you are speaking to me and You WILL report to the cave in twenty minutes." Batman says before he ended the call.

Robin rolls his eyes before walking towards the exit ignoring the other bank robbers trying to fight him, " I'm sure you can handle the rest." He says to a random cop once outside.

...............................................................San Frncisco Titans Tower..........................................................................................................................................

Timothy Drake is working on a new weapon while rocking out to music when his door sides open and super boy steps in.

"Hey Tim." He says. Tim continues to nod his head to his awful music if you were to ask the other titans. 

"TIM!" He yells And yet Tim's still jamming. 

Conner takes a deep breath and screams, "TIMOTHY!" 

Tim jumps and tries to spin around to face Conner but since his earphones are plugged in his phone which is plugged in charger he gets tangled and falls out his chair and knocks his stuff off his desk, Conner looks unimpressed.

"You need to turn that stuff down man." Conner tells him. 

Tim gives him the bat glare, Is that all you wanted?" He asked.

"Nah, Your stalker called he said wanted you to go to the cave in under four hours, By the way you only have two hours left so hurry up." Conner tells HIM. 

" Crap I'm not going make it can you fly me Conner?" Tim asks as he untangles himself.

" Yeah it's no big deal but I don't think batman will want to see you in a wonder woman t-shirt and superman boxers." Conner jokes as Tim pushes him out of his room. 

.......................................................................Back in Gotham.........................................................................................................

A Well-dressed young man walks up to a high class bar he tries to enter but the bouncer stops him. 

" Show me your I.D kid." The bouncer said with his hand held out.

The young man flashes the bouncer a suave smile, Sure thing. He says.

The bouncer looks at the I.D then but at the young man.

"Is there a problem?" asked the young man.

" For one thing it says your Name is Roy Harper." The bouncer starts.

And it is. the young man butted in. HE was better off saying nothing because he was ignored.

"The guy in the photo has red hair and brown eyes and you have black hair and blue eyes also the guy is twenty-six , while you can't be older than nineteen." the bouncer explains.

The charming smile slides off the teens face and it is replaced by a frown, "look I know you're just doing your job, but I got to do mine too you see there's a bad person inside the bar that I got to take down before they hurt more people".

The bouncer doesn't relent in fact it seems the man is getting a kick out of upsetting the blue eyed man.

The young man huffs in frustration and puts his hands together like he's praying, "I'm trying not to snap dude but you're making it hard, So now the nice guy gone and the guy you are not going to like is here so listen closely if you don't let me in I'm gonna beat you so bad you'll wished i had killed you."

'The bouncer puffed up and get in the young mans face, Is that a threat?'

'It's a guarantee.' the young man answers.

Before a fight can break out a shadow blocks the street light making it semi dark, " I've been trying to call you. says a deep voice from within the shadow."

The bouncer looks around for the voice but young man looks in the at a random part of the shadows like he knows where to look.

" And I've been ignoring you but I always do that and you never come bother me so why now?" The you man questions.

" I can't tell you here it's personal meet at corner in two minutes." the voice says before the shadow fades away and light shines again.

" The young turns back towards the bouncer, This ain't over bud." He says before walking a way.

"at corner in the dark is the bat mobile as he nears the door opens and he slides in, Hey daddy bats long time no see huh." says.

Jason we can't talk here we're going back to the cave where I can explain to you boys as a group. Batman.

" I bet golden boy was the first one you told and also the first one there like the good little boy he is." Jason says silence is what he gets instead of a reply.  
............................................................................. A Bludhavven Restaurant.......................................................................

A a blonde woman is sitting at a table set for two by herself she has her head leaning on hand as a waitress walks up to her table.

" Are you ready to order now?" The waitress asked.

not yet my date should be here soon, thank you. The blonde tells her.

The waitress gives he a skeptical look before walking away.

when the waitress is gone the woman pulls out her phone and dials a number and puts it to her ear.

'Hello" a voice on the other side of the phone answers.

" RICHARD GRAYSON YOU ARE LATE FOR OUR DATE WHERE ARE YOU?!" She yells.

I'm Sally I'll be a tad bit late. Dick tells her.

" You said that last time Richard." Sally say with an annoyed tone.

" yeah and like last time I'm a little tied up." says.

The scene changes to Dick Grayson in his costume tied up and not in a fun way if he might add.

" You are always late Richard, You know what don't even show up we're over." sally says be for hanging 

DIck rolled his eyes when the calls ends, "girlfriends am I right?" He asked the drug dealer who was kind enough to hold the phone to His ear.  
"The deal dealer shrugs, "Honestly I wouldn't know women are not my type." He answered.

"Good for you, I ain't hating". Dick says as holds out his fist bump which the drug dear bumps back.

The drug dealer eyes widens when realize Night wing is supposed to be tied up.  
Night wing twirls out of the ropes and knocks out the drug dealer without a swift punch.

As he reaches for his phone that's still in the passed out mans hand his earpiece cuts on.

" Night wing report to the cave as soon as possible". batman voice tells him, The tone of he used Richard can tell he want him at the like half an hour ago.

" No way Dickie boy isn't at the cave yet?" Red hood adds in his two cents.

" I see that you got red hood with did you make sure to put him in his car seat B?" Dick joked.

Batman sighs as Red hood calls a Dick a bitch.

" just get to the cave." is the last thing the Dick can hear before call ends.   
................................................................................Batcave..........................................................

Dick is the last one to arrive to the cave, He hops off his bike in walks toward the table where every one is gathered near.

"Never leave let me be in alone with the bats ever again." Dick can heat Jason tell Tim. 

" Awe I'm sorry you had to go through that Jay." Tim said sounding very unapologetic.

Jason sticks his middle finger out at Tim, Damian is sitting stiffly in his chair while looking at Jason and Tim behavior in disgust,  
He's also the first one to see Dick walk up to the table.

" Hello Richard I'm glad you're here now instead of one human against two mutant pigs there is two humans now I can talk to someone with a brain." Damian says as he offers Dick the chair next to him which Dick takes.

" I missed you too little D in fact I missed all of you." Dick tells his little brothers.

" Have you guys seen Alfred he wasn't here when I came in?" Tim asked from his chair next to Jason.

Jason shakes his head no and says, "The last I heard from Al was a few days ago when called to check on me."

" It's the same for me too." Dick agrees.

"Pennyworth dropped me off at school but never came back to pick me up." Damian adds.

" That's weird Alfred would never forget to pick you up hell he was never late picking me up as a kid even when he was sick." Tim said sounding worried.

" He hadn't forgotten he was kidnapped". Bruce dramatically as he entered the cave.


	2. Flashbacks part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce has just told the boys that Alfred has been taken, with only a note written in Alfred handwriting sent to Bruce's office as proof. The boys will have to think back to their past conversations with the aged butler and see can if they find a clue to who took him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the chapter after are gonna have flashbacks in the middle and end just to move the story and the case along faster. 
> 
> I also want to say thank you for leaving kudos on the first chapter, I really appreciate all of you that read my story.

Bruce statement had left the boys in a stupor for which Dick was the first one to break out of.

" How do you know he was taken?" He asked.

Bruce picks up a remote that was laying on the table and turns on the screen built into the cave wall,  
On the screen was a photo of a note, " This note was delivered to my office at 4pm this afternoon it is written in Alfred's handwriting I also dusted it for fingerprints and found none." Bruce explains. " Could it be someone's sick joke?" Questions Tim. 

Bruce scowled at Tim before rudely saying, "I've known Alfred long before you Tim I'd know if the note was forged."

Tim lets out a huff of anger instead of responding.

" Who delivered the note and what did it come in?" Damian asks as he tries to get a better look at the note.

"It came in a plain white envelop with to Bruce Wayne written on it and a security guard brought it up." Bruce answers while the screen changes into a split screen to show the note and the envelop at the same time.

" When questioned the guard said a young woman wearing a white full face mask with makeup over top entered the building, He said she sat quietly in the lobby for an hour until she got a text on her phone after she read the text she walked up to the guard and handed him the note and left without a word." Bruce Adds on.

Bruce zooms in on the note so it is clearer to read the note is short and reads,

" Dear Master Wayne, I have been a naughty old man I ran away from the Enchantment  
and now I must pay for leaving I'm lucky to be taken alive unlike the others."

With love, Alfred.

" I don't know about you guy but it sounds like Alfred was taken by a cult." Jason say after everyone was done going over the note with a fine tooth comb.

Dick shakes his head in confusion before speaking, "If it is a cult it's one I never heard of, What about you Bruce?" Dick asked.

" No, That's why I want Tim to began a search to found out who the our after this meet" Bruce orders as he gesture towards Tim .

" I all ready started give me a few hours and I'll show you what I find." Tim says as he pulls out his phone.

Bruce nods his approval, "While he's looking I want you boys to tell me have any of you noticed Alfred acting odd in anyway. He requested.

Damian some how manages to sit up straighter in his chair then he already was and spoke, " Actually I have notice Pennyworth behaving anomalous." He says.

........................................................7 days before Alfred was taken........................................

Damian walks in to the kitchen of Wayne manor with a packaged addressed to Alfred in his hands.

Alfred is leaning against a kitchen counter and he is grossed into his tablet which is playing a news clip.

" There has been three elderly people report missing within a week of each other and now their bodies haven been found all in the same week first was Alan Tolley a six-nine year old man." The female reporter reports as a photo of the dead man pops up on the screen he was African American with salt and pepper hair and with laugh wrinkles around his eyes and mouth.

" The next two victims found was seventy-one year old Alice Harbor and her seventy-five year old brother Shawn Harbor." the Reports continues on as a new photo pops up, Both brother and sister are in it, Alice was a pale Caucasian woman with gray hair with a faded red mixed in and she had a slight smile on her face, Shawn on the other hand was a exact opposite of the other two victims for while Alan and Alice had kind faces and honest eyes Shawn face was hardened and his eyes lack warmth.

" The only evidence the police has to go on are notes that was sent to the families of the victims, The police refuses to disclose what was written on said notes so until they do decide to release the notes there's nothing else to add, From Gotham City News this is Viki Vale. " The reporter says before the report ends and a new one began. Alfred drops his tablet with a gasp and turns pale, "Are you okay Pennyworth?" Damian asks as he walks up to Alfred. Alfred runs a shaky hand over his mouth before responding, "I am feeling fine Master Damian." Alfred tells him. Damian's not blind he can tell that Pennyworth is far from fine but doesn't questions him instead he rudely shoves the box he was holding into Alfred arms. " This came for you a few minutes ago if you wasn't so riveted by your tablet you could of gotten it yourself instead of me." Damian said ill-manneredly. " Thank you Master Damian that was very kind of you, I know you find the art of opening doors below someone of your worth." Alfred sardonically replied. .........................................................................................End of flash back............................................................. " Did you see what was in the box?" Bruce asked once Damian was done with his story. " No he took it upstairs before I could take a peek inside." Damian replies. " Alfred must of knew the victims based on the way he acted when he saw the news report" Jason thinks out loud. " I was thinking the same thing, We should see if the case is connected to Alfred's kidnapping.'' Dick agrees. " I'll add that to my search." Tim tells them while still looking at his phone. " Also do a background check Tim, I don't want any missing pieces." Bruce orders Tim. " Do a background check Tim, I thought that was implied when I said I'll added it to my search" Tim mocked under his breath. Bruce choose to ignore Tim comment and turned to Jason instead, " You mention that Alfred called you earlier this week did he say anything useful?" He asked. " I don't much to tell Alfred and I only talked for a few minutes." Jason tells him. ............................................................................................. 5 days before Alfred was taken................................. Jason was parked across the street from the bar he had been staking out for the past two days when his phone starts ringing. Jason answers his phone without looking, " I ain't got no student loans that need paying back so you can shove your bullshit up your ass." He says instead of a greeting. " Hello Master Jason, I'm glad to see that you still answer the phone in the same way." Alfred voice greets him instead of a telemarketers. " Oh I'm sorry I thought you was some else, How are you Alfred?" Jason asked sounding a little embarrassed. " I am feeling fine thank you, I can't talk long I just called for a favor." Alfred tell him. " Sure what's the favor?" Jason asked. " I need you to go to a storage unit and get a few duffle bags and bring it to me as soon as you can." Alfred tells him. " why do you need the bags?" Jason inquires. " I don't need the bags I need what's in them." explains Alfred. " And before you ask Master Jason what is inside the bags are none of your concern." Alfred says which stops Jason from asking more questions. " Fine I won't pry any more just give me the address." stated Jason. " I'll text it to you." Alfred tells him before hanging up. ....................................................................................End of flashback.............................................................. " I got so caught up in my stakeout that I never went to get the duffle bags." Jason tells them. " You need to obtain the bags so we can see why they were so important to Alfred and Damian I want you to go look in Alfred's room for that box." Bruce orders before dismissing Jason and Damian. " I shall Father." Damian says before he goes up to the manor " If it getting those bags will help find Alfred than I'll get them but this is the only time you can order me around." Jason tells Bruce and then leaves the cave. Dick puts his feet on Damian's vacant chair, "I feel kind of neglected Bruce you ordered around everyone but me and honestly I'm hurt." He joked. " If you want to do something then you can tell me about your last conversion with Alfred." Bruce tells Dick.


End file.
